Burbank Library Celebrates National Library Week with Taylor Jenkins Reid

Burbank Public Library is kicking off National Library Week with two events worth clearing your calendar for: the debut of a brand-new Bookmobile and an afternoon with bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid.

National Library Week runs April 19 through 25, organized around this year’s theme, “Find Your Joy.” But the festivities start before the official week begins.

On Tuesday, April 14, the library hosts a ribbon-cutting for its new Bookmobile at Buena Vista Branch Library, 110 N. Glenoaks Blvd., at 10:45 a.m. The mobile library will carry a curated collection of bestsellers, children’s books, and DVDs, and will bring library services directly to neighborhoods across the city. Starting in May, the Bookmobile will make stops at parks, schools, senior centers, and community events throughout Burbank. For residents who can’t easily get to a branch, the service closes a real access gap.

The week’s marquee event comes on Saturday, April 25. Reid, one of the most widely read novelists working today, will appear at Buena Vista Branch Library from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. for a conversation covering her latest novel, “Atmosphere,” alongside fan favorites including “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and “Daisy Jones and the Six.”

Reid’s work has found new audiences through screen adaptations, a topic she plans to address during the discussion. That subject carries particular weight in Burbank. This city is home to Warner Bros., Disney, and a cluster of production companies whose employees make up a substantial part of the Burbank Digest readership. When a novelist talks about watching her books become television and film, this is an audience that understands exactly what that process looks like from the inside.

“I am so excited for this event at the Burbank Library,” Reid said in a statement. “I can’t wait to talk to readers about Atmosphere and celebrate the great work librarians do to get books into people’s hands.”

Mayor Tamala Takahashi echoed that enthusiasm. “National Library Week is a celebration of connection to stories, to ideas, and to one another,” she said. “Hosting an author of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s caliber reflects our commitment to bringing extraordinary literary experiences to our community and creating moments that truly spark joy.”

Books will be available for purchase starting at 12:30 p.m., with a signing to follow the conversation. The event is free and open to the public. Registration opens April 1 at burbanklibrary.org/events. Given Reid’s following, organizers expect seats to fill fast. A waitlist will be available once capacity is reached.

The library’s choice of Reid for this year’s signature event makes sense beyond her bestseller status. Her stories are rooted in American pop culture, music, and the entertainment industry. “Daisy Jones and the Six” was adapted for Prime Video. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” has a Netflix adaptation in development. For readers who work in the industry or follow it closely, her work occupies a specific and familiar world.

National Library Week, recognized annually since 1958, highlights the role libraries and library workers play in their communities. This year’s “Find Your Joy” theme encourages residents to treat the library as more than a place to borrow books. Programs, workshops, and community gathering spaces all fall under that umbrella.

Buena Vista Branch Library sits in a part of Burbank that makes it an easy destination from most neighborhoods in the city. Parking is available, and the location is accessible by bus along Glenoaks.

Whether you show up April 14 for a look at the new Bookmobile or on April 25 to hear one of contemporary fiction’s most bankable names talk craft and adaptation, the library is giving residents genuine reasons to come through the doors this month.

For a full schedule of National Library Week events, visit burbanklibrary.org.